Mirror Reflection
by Baby Basilisk
Summary: Yaoi  Joey's twin brother has returned to town, and he wants to play with his little brother; except he's not who he seems to be.  S/J
1. Chapter 1

Title: Mirror Reflection (1/?)

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: R

Pairing (s): Seto/Joey, Other/Seto

Beta: heidlebergchick

Spoilers: Battle City; Joey's past with Hirutani

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh.

Warnings: Some porn, some plot, and some violence.

Summary: Joey's twin brother has returned to town, and he wants to play with his little brother; except he's not who he seems to be.

The heat wave Domino was currently experiencing for the last month didn't seem to be breaking any time soon. In fact, the heat seemed to be getting even more oppressive as the days passed. Seto Kaiba could feel the sweat slowly sliding down his back to pool in his lower back along the tope of his pants. The heat had become so bad that even he had abandoned his trench coats and school jacket for a simple white t-shirt, which was also drenched and clinging to him.

Seto moved languidly across the empty courtyard toward the willow tree on the other end, the dead air remaining still even with his movement. He both cursed the heat, and found it convenient as the other students crowded around the air conditioning units and fans inside the classrooms during breaks. This provided a privacy not unwanted for his meeting.

The brunet brushed aside the curtain of leaves and stepped inside the alcove. He turned to make sure the leaves completely obscured the interior from any prying eyes that could be watching from the school. It was a bit stuffy in the shade of the large tree, but it was a discreet meeting place during school hours, so Seto and his partner willingly traded some discomfort for privacy that was hard to find.

Taking a few steps forward, Seto stopped next to the body that was sprawled, fast asleep on the ground. Joey Wheeler, his boyfriend of thee weeks was using his jacket as a pillow. Seto's eyes roved appreciatively over the blonde's body, the white tank top and blue school pants clinging provocatively to the other teen's body.

Shaking his head to rid the perverted thoughts, Seto kneeled next to Joey. He ran his fingers through the damp blond strands. Joey groaned in his sleep and rolled onto his back, nuzzling Seto's hand in the process.

In this position, Seto could clearly see the way perspiration from the heat had caused fabric to conform to every line of Joey's body, most especially around the teen's crotch. Seto licked his lips as he remembered the taste, touch, and slide of that hot body against his own. He wished he could strip the other and lick him all over. The memory of when their relationship had started filtered unreserved into his mind, when their oppressive attraction and underlying sexual tension had finally spilled with rather delicious results.

It had been during the first week of the heat wave and Seto had still been resistant about showing weakness. That day, Joey and his friends were having a water flight after school. He had been grumpy and wished he could follow some of his classmates' actions and pour water over himself in an effort to cool down, but he had maintained his composure and suffered through wearing the short-sleeved jacket even as everyone else had abandoned theirs. The heat had made him more irritated than normal, so when Joey accidently collided with him, spilling water all over him, Seto had snapped and tried to tackle the blond.

Joey had of course run, which only incited Seto into chasing him. The teens ignored the heat and the exhaustion as they played a game of cat and mouse. Looking back, Seto didn't know if he chased Joey simply because he had been angry, or because he couldn't resist the image of a dripping-wet blond looking at him with those liquid-brown eyes shining with apology, mischief, and laughter. Seto could almost convince himself that it wasn't because he lost control of his sexual desire; that had come later.

Seto had finally caught Joey at the edge of the school pool, the force of his tackle sending them into the water. Even the submersion didn't cool Seto's anger. He and the blond wrestled in the water, and the taller teen had dunked the other until he begged for forgiveness.

When he was finally satisfied with the puppy's punishment, Seto pulled him self out of the pool and collapsed on the scorching deck. The exhaustion from the chase and the heat was finally catching up to him. His body felt weak, but surprisingly, he also felt lighter and almost giddy. Without warning, laughter bubbled up and spilled out before he could stop it. The more he thought of the chase and where he was, the more he found it hilarious. He almost couldn't believe he had done all that.

Seto glanced over to where Joey had flopped next to him and felt his lips twitch again. The blond only had to lock eyes with the taller teen before they both broke down in gales of laughter. The moment lasted for a long time as they only had to look at each other or hear the other snickering for another round of laughs to begin.

When he finally couldn't stand the pain in his stomach from laughing for so long and so hard, Seto rolled and pushed himself up into a standing position. His shoes squished as he did so. Running his hand through his partially dry hair, Seto absently wondered about his wet clothes, twisting part of his shirt to

"You should probably change into your gym clothes," Joey commented suddenly. Seto's startled gaze swung to where Joey was standing, ready with a return comment, and froze at what he saw. Where as Seto was fully clothed, Joey had already stripped off his shirt and was wringing the extra water out of it, flicking his wet hair out of his face every few seconds. Seto felt heat course through his veins at the expanse of golden skin of Joey's torso, and way the muscles flexed beneath the smooth-looking skin.

Joey glanced over at the other teen when there was no retort and caught the hot stare of the other. A faint blush spread across the other's cheeks as he recognized the interest, even as a sexy smirk stretched across his lips. "You know," Joey started as he took a step closer to Seto. "I think a shower would also be a good idea."

"Why's that?" Seto finally was able to ask, noticing how close the other was, their bodies almost brushing, but he wasn't inclined to create any distance.

Joey glanced up at Seto through his bangs, and the brunet was captured by the heat within their depths. "Because we are quite dirty…or at least we can be." As soon as he finished, Joey turned and walked toward the locker room. Seto eagerly followed him; gaze already glued to the tight ass framed by the soaking pants.

They had definitely made use of those showers that day; many, many times until they were interrupted by Honda.

Blinking his eyes, Seto focused on the present, finding himself back underneath the willow tree. He glanced down at the bulge in the front of his pants. He couldn't help but get aroused every time he remembered. Seto wished they had time to recreate the touching, the groping, and the friction, oh definitely the friction, but he didn't think they had time before lunch ended, especially since they would need a shower by the end.

Hoping his erection would fade soon, Seto shook Joey's shoulder until the teen opened his eyes.

"Hmm, good morning," Joey's husky voice did nothing to help Seto's situation. When the blond tugged, Seto willingly leaned over to engage the other teen in a heated kiss, which broke only after lips, teeth, and wandering tongues had their fill.

"Definitely a good morning," Seto replied once he caught his breath. Joey grinned, pleased with his boyfriend's flushed look. His eyes traced down the brunet's neck. He knew from experience that Seto's pale skin gorgeously displayed marks of passion, and wondered if he could convince the other than he was having an artistic urging. His gaze traveled further down Seto's body, and the blond licked his lips when he saw the bulge in the other teen's pants.

"Is this for me?" Joey teased, reaching out to cup the bulge. Feeling its hardness, Joey lightly traced the zipper before resting his fingers on the button. "May I?" He asked, glancing up at the other through his bangs, knowing how susceptible the other was to that look.

Seto's breath hitched at the down-right hot image presented to him, but he hesitated to answer. Yes, they had touched and explored each other's bodies, but they had only used hands on the lower parts. They hadn't taken this step yet.

Uncertainly, Seto glanced over his shoulder to make sure they were still blocked from the sight of the school. In his hesitation, he felt Joey pop the button the lower the zipper of his pants. The brunet's gaze immediately drew back to the other boy. "Joey," Seto breathed, as his length fell out into the blonde's waiting hand. He wanted to say no, that this wasn't a good tome to move forward, but Joey's offer was too sexy, too hot to turn down, and the heat pooling in his lower stomach told him he wanted this to happen.

"Not much time," he finally said. Joey replied by taking the head into his mouth and suckling gently. Seto's hips jerked forward automatically, but the blond was ready and pulled back as well, still keeping the head in his mouth. Joey brought one hand up to grip Seto's hip, making sure Seto couldn't suddenly choke him, and used his other hand to stroke the half of Seto's cock that he wasn't sucking.

Seto wrapped his own hands in Joey's hair, and hung on as heat and movement, and – god – suction drove any and all thought from his mind. He didn't know if it was the place, the time limit, or simply the knowledge of who was doing this to him, but it took little time until Seto was on the edge, then spilling over, his hips jerking and a keening noise escaping. As the last of his orgasm faded, Seto found he was slumped against Joey, who was gently tucking his spent member back into his pants.

The brunet pulled back enough to look at the other teen. Joey was licking his lips and wiping them with the back of his hand, as if unsure of the taste. It suddenly hit him what Joey had done, what his absolutely gorgeous boyfriend had just done. He felt an overwhelming need to touch and taste Joey in return.

Joey allowed Seto to pull away from him when the teen stirred and brought his hand up to wipe his mouth. He was still unsure about the taste, but he wasn't completely disgusted or turned off. In fact, he thought he might need to try it again to get a better idea.

The blond glanced over at his boyfriend, and felt a gloating kind of satisfaction wash over him. Seto looked dazed and was still breathing hard, his eyes glazed over. "Was it good for you?" He teasingly asked.

Joey was surprised when Seto's eyes suddenly focused on him, pinning him in place. Not a second later, Seto lunged towards him. He smashed their lips together, tongue already invading the other's mouth. Seto could recognize bitterness in his taste of the other teen, and the knowledge drove his passion up another notch.

Seto fumbled with Joey's pants, tugging at them frantically to get inside. Joey whimpered and panted into Seto's mouth when the taller teen's hand wrapped around his own hard length and started to tug. Seto shifted his body so that he was a more to Joey's side than his front so that his other hand could slip down the back of Joey's pants. As his hand slipped between the cleft of Joey's ass, Seto slid his mouth down to the blonde's neck, wanting to hear the other's moans, as his fingers breached the tight hole.

Perspiration from the heat had already moistened the blonde's entrance and Seto used the residual moisture as lubricant in order to slide his finger deeper, all the way to the second knuckle. He immediately started thrusting and it didn't take long for a second finger to join the first.

Joey couldn't breathe with all the sensations rocking his body. Seto's hand sped up on his cock as Joey felt a second finger entered him. The slight burn from the penetration mixed with the pleasure from his front and Joey felt himself drowning in the sensations. He grabbed Seto's shirt and upper arm as he body began to tremble violently. "Se – ah – to…" He breathed in warning. Seto sealed his lips over Joey's once more, silencing him just in time as the blond froze and let out a high-pitched whining noise as his orgasm crashed over him.

When Joey finally returned to reality from his euphoric high, he found himself leaning heavily against Seto. His body continued to tremble with the aftershock. "Damn," he said. He could feel Seto's body shake with laughter. They lounged there for a few more minutes before pulling apart.

Joey's legs felt wobbly when he stood and he was afraid for a moment that he would collapse, but luckily he didn't. His ass on the other hand…Joey winced at the burn in his backside when he took a small step.

Seeing the wince, Seto stepped closer to his lover. "Are you alright?"

Joey frowned and punched the other teen in the arm. "You know, if I wasn't feeling all giddy and loopy right now, I would punch your lights out for the pain. Couldn't you have used real lube? I'm not used to dry stretching."

Seto chuckled and wrapped his arm around the blonde's waist. "I'll remember that for next time."

Joey mock glared at his boyfriend, "And a bed. My knees can only take so much kneeling on hard ground."

"Hmm, but I like the way you look when you're kneeling," Seto quipped, recognizing the mischief beneath the other's grumpy exterior.

"How about you are the one on your knees?"

"Anytime you wish," the brunet promised as his tongue swiped the hickey that was already forming on Joey's neck. He couldn't wait to see how Joey reacted when the others pointed out.

"Oh, that definitely is an idea," Joey murmured as his legs tried to turn to jelly again. He leaned forward and nibbled on Seto's ear, enjoying the hitch in the other's breath.

"You know," Seto began as he tilted his head to the side to allow Joey more access. "I know a room that has this thick carpet that you can sink into. A bed too."

"And what room is that?" Joey asked once he stopped sucking on Seto's neck, trying to make a copy of the mark on his own neck he was willing to bet Seto thought he didn't know about.

"My room. At the mansion." When Joey stopped what he was doing and pulled back to stare at the brunet, Seto felt himself become nervous. They had rarely met outside of the school, choosing to conduct their affairs on the school grounds, or in Seto's limo on some occasions. This was a large step to invite Joey over to his home, where Mokuba was surely to see Joey.

As Joey continued to remain silent, Seto thought he might have pushed for something the other wasn't quite ready for. He debated between brushing the invitation off as just a joke or telling Joey to just ignore what he said, but he never got the chance to decide as Joey suddenly smiled and leaned forward to give him a kiss. Unlike their previous ones, this kiss was light and sweet.

"I would love to come over," Joey said when he drew away. He couldn't help making the comment "Just make sure you have lots of lube ready."

Seto smiled as the tension flowed out of his body. "I've got it covered. How about Friday after school? You could stay over for the weekend…"

Joey laughed, "You pervert." Both boys were leaning in for more kisses when the warning bell marking the end of the lunch period rang.

Seto groaned and dropped his head onto Joey's shoulder. "Damn; not long enough."

Joey laughed and started to straighten his clothes, brushing off the bits of dirt and leaves. "I'll leave first, and you can come striding in a few minutes after me." He leaned over and kissed Seto's cheek before disappearing out of their tree hideout. Seto waited two minutes exactly before following.

Joey strolled nonchalantly into the classroom and dropped into his seat. Yugi and Honda both approached him not even seconds later. "Where have you been, Joey?" Yugi asked as soon as he was close enough. "I thought we could have a duel during lunch, but you disappeared before I could ask."

Joey shrugged and grinned, "I kind of fell asleep," he replied.

"Outside?" Honda asked. When Joey looked at him, the brunet leaned over and pulled a leaf out of his hair. "You know, you shouldn't go rolling around on the ground in his heat," he teased.

Joey could feel the blush starting to creep up his throat at the implications in his oldest friend's words. "There was no rolling around, you idiot. I just wanted to escape the indoors for just a bit and laid down in some shade outside."

Honda only smirked, even as Yugi giggled and commented on Joey's habit of falling asleep anywhere. Joey was glad that his little friend hadn't caught what was underneath Honda's comment. The group dispersed when the final bell rang. Joey watched Seto stride into the classroom just ahead of the teacher. As the class began, Joey drifted into his own thoughts and daydreams.

Only Honda knew about his relationship with Seto, and Joey hadn't decided to reveal it to the rest of the group just yet. Although, if he was going to be staying over at Seto's this weekend, then Mokuba would surely know. Joey couldn't help but feel happy that Seto had wanted to bring him into his world, to reveal their relationship to his little brother, who he adored the most in the world. Joey felt proud that his lover would invite him into his life, and it caused him to wonder when he would introduce Seto as his lover. If all went well this weekend, Joey thought Monday would be a good chance for him especially since there was a good chance that he would be arriving at school with Seto.

Joey grinned as he imagined the shocked looks on his friends and classmate's faces when he and Seto strolled into school together on Monday, looking rather relaxed and carrying the air of lovers who had indulged in a weekend of thorough satisfaction.

The blond teen was glad his desk was next to the window, and it faced the gate at the front of the school. Joey allowed his mind to create the scene: the students straggling through the gate, unwilling for another week of school. The masses stopping when Seto's limo rolled to a stop in front of the school; Seto always gained attention wherever he went. His lover would exit the car and the students would gasp as Joey exited after. Seto would smirk and sneer at the teens watching them, then reach down and grasp Joey's hand. Together, they would walk hand in hand toward the school as the student's parted for them.

Chuckling underneath his breath at the imaginary scenario, Joey shook his head. It was funny to picture it that way, but he was sure it wouldn't go that way. Seto would start walking before Joey exited the limo, and he would probably snarl at anyone who so much as tried to guess what their riding together meant. Joey himself would only smile and shrug, neither offering answers nor acknowledging theories. It was more their way of doing things, and Joey didn't mind.

A movement at the front gate that he had continued to stare at as he daydreamed caught Joey's attention. There was someone leaning against one of the pillars. They seem to be waiting for someone. Curious, Joey squinted, trying to get a better look at the person from his second-floor view. The person at the gate seemed to be distorted, the waves of heat altering the air.

It seemed that it was a male teenager, with bright hair. Not the color that most Japanese students had when they bleached their hair, or dyed it blond. In fact, the teen's hair seemed to by the same golden shade as…his…

All eyes turned to look at him when Joey suddenly surged out of his chair, but he didn't notice as his entire attention was on the figure at the gate. It couldn't be him, it just couldn't, but Joey knew. The teen had the same color hair as he, and at closer range, the other boy would share his features. As if knowing Joey was watching, the teen raised his hand and gave a mock salute. Joey felt the cold grip of fear beginning to trickle down his spine, freezing his body as it went. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't feel anything except the rapid pounding of his heart as his attention remained locked on the teen at the gate.

"Mr. Wheeler!" Joey spun around when the teacher's voice finally pierced the fog that surrounded him. She was prepared to berate him for his interruption, but she stopped when she saw the ashen face of the boy. Joey's normally tan skin almost bordered on chalk-white and his eyes were large and frightened as they darted around the room. "Are you alright?" She finally asked.

"I," Joey started, but couldn't get anything else past his blocked throat. He quickly snapped his gaze back to the window, but there was no one at the gate anymore, the sidewalk and street just as empty. Joey swallowed and turned back to the teacher. "I'm sorry," he finally replied. "I was just startled by something."

The teacher looked ready to argue with the blond, but Joey sat down and pointedly opened his textbook. She waited a few more seconds before resuming her lecture. Joey kept his eyes on his book so that he wouldn't meet anyone's stare, especially the questioning and concerned ones of his friends. He also held his hands in his lap, underneath the desk where nobody could see them shake.

Jackal.

The name rang in his head, filling him with terror and horror at all that it implied.

Jackal, his twin.

Jackal was back.

A/N: Welcome to the start of a new story. It feels strange to actually post something only a few days after another story (rather than months or years), but surprisingly good. Hope you enjoyed.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Mirror Reflection (2/?)

Author: Sprinkles

Rating: R

Pairing (s): Seto/Joey, Other/Seto

Beta: Zazzy

Spoilers: Battle City; Joey's past with Hirutani

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh.

Warnings: Some porn, some plot, and some violence.

Summary: Joey's twin brother has returned to town, and he wants to play with his little brother; except he's not who he seems to be.

A/N: Review replies are at the bottom.

Class progressed uninterrupted for the rest of the day, but Seto hardly pay attention, his focus remaining on Joey even hours later. He had never seen the other teen freak out like that before – except when ghosts were involved, but even then the blonde's reactions usually consisted of lots of swear words and screams. This time Joey had been completely silent, and ~_that_~ made Seto worry.

When the final bell rang, Seto languidly began packing his backpack, stalling for as much time as possible. Seto was soon the only one left in the classroom as all the other students rushed for the door. He felt a slight twinge of annoyance. Joey surely had seen his slow movements and knew that Seto wanted to talk. On the other hand, Joey might have been trying to get away from the others, who surely were bombarding him with questions.

The brunet paused for a moment as another thought crossed his mind. Perhaps Joey was trying to avoid him as well in order to not talk. Frowning, Seto grabbed his bag and strode out the door. He didn't know which option he would be more annoyed with.

He passed Joey's locker on his way to his own and, as he predicted, the group was clustered together. Honda seemed to be filling in the members of the group that weren't in their class while Yugi was pelting Joey questions, trying to get Joey to talk to him. One glance at Joey's stiff shoulders and tense body told Seto that the other would remain stubbornly tight-lipped about the incident. Seto eavesdropped on the conversation while putting his books away.

"Please tell me what's wrong, Joey," Yugi was pleading. He kept fiddling with the golden pyramid hanging around his neck, and Seto wondered if his other personality would come out to argue with Joey as well.

"I was just startled, that's all. It's nothing."

"You were frightened!" Yugi's frustration echoed in his voice. "You looked like the dead had come to life. That's not 'nothing'!" Joey snorted and mumbled something underneath his breath, but Yugi was quick enough to catch it. "What do you mean 'something like that'? What's going on? Why won't you talk to me?"

Joey loudly slammed his locker shut. "It's none of your damn business, Yugi. I said it's nothing and I don't want to talk about it, so just fucking drop it already."

A silence descended on the pair at Joey's outburst. Yugi's eyes were wide with hurt and confusion. Ever since they had become friends, they had rarely fought, and Joey usually never cussed at the other. The shorter teen took a small step back and softly said, "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed."

Joey clenched his fist and he briefly felt a flare of anger. He wanted to snarl at the other boy, to tell him to back off. The blond shoved that emotion to the side and forcefully relaxed his body. Fighting with his friend would only make the situation worse. Joey sighed and tugged the retreating teen into a small hug. "No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have blown up at you like that. You're worried for me, I get it. I just don't want to talk about this yet."

"I understand," Yugi said as Joey released him. "I'll try to be more patient. But!" He glared at his blond friend, "You better promise that you'll talk to me before something happens. I don't want a repeat of that time with Hirutani and his gang."

Joey smiled at the determination his little friend's eyes. "I promise. As soon as I feel like talking, I'll come find you."

"Deal!" Yugi declared, before turning to the rest of the group who were watching the fight from a distance. "So, Grandpa received a shipment of some new games this morning. Anyone interested in testing them?"

Otogi was the only one who declined. He stated that his shop had also received a shipment and he needed to stop by to check the inventory. He planted a kiss on Honda's blushing cheek before sauntering off.

"Well, well, well," Anzu purred. "When did this develop?" Her expression told Honda to spare no details in his tale.

Honda's face turned completely red as the others snickered. He quickly shooed away the rest of the group, promising to tell them the story when he met up with them at the game shop later. For now, he wanted to talk to Joey alone. The three teens left, happily sharing gossip as they walked.

Once the others were gone, Seto approached Joey and Honda. He silently slipped his arms around Joey's waist. He could feel the tension in the blonde's body, but the other slowly relaxed in Seto's embrace.

"Joey," Honda began, but hesitated. "You know I'm here if you want to talk."

"I know," Joey replied. He was leaning against Seto now, allowing the taller teen to support him. "I just don't want to."

Honda nodded in understanding. He shared a glance with Seto before moving further down the hall to give the couple some privacy while waiting for Joey.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Seto asked as soon as Honda was out of earshot. "It's okay if you're not."

"I'm fine, Seto." Joey insisted. "Nothing's wrong. I just overreacted."

"What exactly happened?"

Joey hesitated, "I…just saw someone that I haven't seen in a long time. Someone I thought was either dead or gone for good. So, it doesn't make sense that I saw him"

Seto made a humming noise of agreement even as he stored the information in the back of his mind where he would go over it at some other point in time. For now, Seto leaned down to engage his boyfriend in a last kiss of the day. Honda cleared his throat after a few minutes and Seto reluctantly parted from Joey. "Better?" He asked.

"Hmm, completely," Joey practically purred. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow," Seto affirmed, watching Joey walk away with Honda. The brunet was reluctant to let his lover go, but he could only watch for now. Joey told Seto he was fine, and Seto would take his word, despite believing otherwise. At least, for now.

Indeed, Seto found out how much Joey was affected in the next couple days. The blond seemed to be distracted and jumpy. Whenever Seto touched him to get his attention, he would flinch, and then practically cling to the brunet moments later.

Joey still refused to talk to anyone about what was bothering him. Even when Honda cornered him, all Joey would do was shake his head and say everything was fine. Seto shared Honda's frustration with Joey's stubbornness.

Despite his actions, Joey continued to reassure Seto that he still wanted to come over on Friday. The blond knew he seemed paranoid and nervous. Every night, he would rush home, looking over his shoulder, and jumping at shadows. He didn't tell Honda or Seto that he barricaded himself in his room just in case Jackal came to the apartment. However, as the days passed and there was no sign of his twin anywhere, he felt himself relax. He even looked forward to his sleep over at Seto's tomorrow night.

Joey couldn't stop grinning as he snuck into his apartment Thursday evening. Tomorrow – Friday – he would be spending the night with Seto. It was implicitly implied that they would become full-fledged lovers tomorrow. There would still be moments when they snuck around and groped one another at school, Joey hoped, but their relationship would extend beyond the school grounds. The blond could barely contain his excitement, but despite his overwhelming emotions, Joey still took precautions.

With a trained eye, Joey scanned the apartment, his eyesight adjusting quickly to the faded light slithering in from the only window. Nothing was out of place, not even the empty beer cans on the crates that acted like a coffee table. It seemed his father was still on his ongoing field trip. The old man would randomly sober up to find there were no food and especially no beer in the kitchen. He'd take off to find some work, claiming he would save some cash this time. But once he had money in his pocket, John Wheeler rarely was able to hold on to it. He would be gone for days on end, working and drinking until it became only drinking. Then he would show back up at the apartment, broke and hungover. He'd recover for a few days, and then repeated the cycle again.

Joey had a part-time job helping Yugi's Grandfather with the store and he picked up shifts at the docks when he could. He didn't bring in much money, but the small income did help pay the rent and feed the blond. The meager unemployment checks covered the electricity and water bills. All-in-all, Joey thought he was surviving quite well for the time. Of course, Joey planned to move out after his High School graduation, and he had been applying for colleges and scholarships whenever he had time. Already, he had been accepted to a local community college and to a small university in Tokyo, but he had a few more months until he had to make a choice. Joey focused on the present for now.

Joey expertly navigated the trash strewn floor, deftly avoiding any and all objects that could make a noise and draw the attention of anyone in the apartment, if there was someone in the apartment. Joey didn't know if Jackal was here at all, but the blond didn't take too much of a chance. He slid his key silently into the lock on his bedroom door and slowly turned the dead bolt. The door swung silently open; Joey kept the hinges oiled. A brief glance showed the room was empty as he slipped inside.

Once the locks were set again, Joey breathed a sigh of relief. All this sneaking around and being alert all the time was starting to drain on his energy. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed. Joey flipped on the light and turned to face the room. There was a flicker of movement. Joey didn't have time to even scream before he was pinned against the door, the hand on his throat cutting off all air. Joey whimpered as he stared at the other.

The other blond smiled coldly at him and leaned in, his breath crawling across Joey's cheek. "Welcome home, little brother." Joey heard Jackal crackling as he slipped into darkness.

On Friday morning, Seto felt that his fears and worry about Joey's behavior become reality. Joey had not shown up for class, and it was close to lunch. Seto alternated between glancing at the clock and at the classroom door, willing time to move faster or Joey to walk through the door. He ignored the fact that Yugi and Honda were doing the same thing. Ryou, Anzu, and Otogi each dropped by during the breaks to check as well.

Just as Seto was willing to track down Joey, the blond came striding confidently into the classroom a few minutes before the lunch bell rang. Seto sighed in relief; his fears remained unfounded, although he was angry that the other made him worry so much and then showed up unharmed. Still, Seto started to smile at the other teen, but his lips froze as he looked at his boyfriend closer.

A few seats away, Seto could hear Honda begin to growl underneath his breath. The CEO wished he could do so as well.

The person who walked into the classroom looked like Joey, but Seto knew that it wasn't his blond. This teen had his flaxen strands slicked back away from his face, showing off a rugged scar that crossed over the edge of one of his eyebrows. His face, though it was the mirror reflection of Joey's features, seemed crueler, colder, and harsher than Joey's. The imposter also seemed to have a hint of a sneer on the edge of his lips rather than the smile that Joey always sported.

Seto did not like this imposter who wore his boyfriend's face, this arrogant imposter who strolled into the classroom with an attitude and a mocking light in his eyes. In his copy-cat brown eyes that belong to Joey. This person made Seto's figurative hackles go up. He did not like him.

"Mr. Wheeler, do you have a note?" The teacher asked. The disapproval was apparent in his voice.

"Nope," the blond replied, smirking condescendingly at the teacher.

The teacher bristled. He did not like the haughty, rebellious attitude radiating from the teen. It reminded him that Joey had once been a gang member and a troublemaker, though the blond had not acted up or been disrespectful at all while in his class. The teacher did not know what had caused this sudden change, and he was tempted to assign the teen detention after school, but he hesitated long enough for the bell to ring. The blond immediately turned and walked back out of the classroom, ignoring the teacher's yells for him

Seeing the Joey-imposter walk out the door, Seto jumped out of his seat and quickly followed. He trailed the blond through several corridors and down a floor into a deserted part of the school near the old classroom. The school was planning on renovating this wing as soon as the budget was approved. Until then

The blond was leaning against an open window when Seto caught up to the blonde. His eyes roved up and down the taller teen's body in appreciation. "So, you're Seto Kaiba?" The imposter stepped closer.

Seto stepped back to put room between him and this person. "Who are you?"

"Joey hasn't talked about me? Hmm, I'm hurt. Especially since I came all this way to meet you."

Seto glowered at the other teen, but before he could make another comment, Honda suddenly appeared. "Get away from him, Jackal." The shorter brunet stepped between the two and shoved Jackal away. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I'm only checking in on my little brother's life like the good ~brother~ I am," Jackal smiled. Seto had to look away from Joey's familiar face being twisted into something different. "You know how he never tells me anything."

Honda snarled lowly and stepped closer, "You aren't needed. Joey is ~safe and happy~. You don't need to be here." The brunet spoke in a low, urgent voice.

Jackal threw back his head and laughed. "That might have worked a few years ago, Honda, but not now."

Honda's fists clenched, but his voice stayed rather level. "Joey's not in any danger. There's no one you need to protect him from. You are not needed." Seto looked between the two teens. He knew he was missing something vital, something that both teens knew.

"Oh, I completely disagree," Jackal purred. "There's so much that Joey needs from me. I don't feel like going away any time soon. By the way, how is that lover of yours? Does he still like to play dress-up games?"

It took a moment for the shorter brunet to pick up the implication, but then Honda paled in rage and took a step closer to Jackal, "If you fucking dare–"

Jackal laughed again, "I would never dream of fucking that." He ignored Honda's cursing retort and turned once more to Seto, leaning close to run his hand up Seto's arm. "I'm sure we'll be meeting again. I hope that next time we can have some more …privacy to talk." With one more lingering look, Jackal turned and walked away, ignoring Honda's indignant yell after him to stay away from Joey, and especially his lover.

As soon as Jackal was no longer in sight, Seto pivoted to face Honda. "Who is he?" The taller brunet snapped.

"Joey's…twin," Honda spat out the word in disgust. He glowered at the other teen. "Listen, Kaiba. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from Jackal."

"That's not good enough," Seto snapped. "I want to know more."

"He's insane," Honda snapped back. "He enjoys inflicting physical and psychological pain on people he believes have hurt or disrespected Joey or himself. He says he does it because he's protecting Joey, but that's a fucking joke. He hates Joey, likes to cause him pain, to prove that he owns Joey. He a fucking lunatic."

"What?" Seto hissed. "You've got to be fucking kidding me. We have to find Joey then; we have to make sure he's alright."

"No," Honda snarled. "You don't need to do anything. You may be Joey's boyfriend, but I've been his best friend for years. I will deal with Jackal. I've done it before; you haven't. So, just butt out."

"Bullshit!" The taller teen growled. He could feel his control slipping as his anger grew. "We can't sit around with our thumbs up our asses; ~_I_~ can't sit around."

"You don't know anything!" Honda roared. "So, back the fuck off!"

"Fuck no!" Seto yelled back. "Stop being such a fucking coward. If we wait until Jackal does something, then it could be too late to do something; too late for Joey. Do you ~_want~_ something to happen to him?"

"You know what? Fuck you, Kaiba. I don't need this bullshit. Stay the fuck away from Jackal, for Joey's sake. In fact, stay away from Joey as well. He doesn't need to deal with you on top of this shit." With that said, Honda turned and stalked back towards the classroom.

Seto remained in the hallway long after Honda had disappeared, and long after the bell rang. He no longer felt like returning to class, and he was certain Jackal had also skipped. He stood there for a long time, his thoughts running rapidly in his head. Seto knew there was something going on, something that Honda knew about that involved Joey, and apparently his older, twin brother Jackal. If Honda wasn't going to tell him, and since Joey was apparently missing, Seto was going to have to find information himself.

Flipping open his cell phone, Seto called his chauffer as he headed to the main office to tell them that he would be absent for the rest of the day. He had no intention of backing off. Joey was ~_his~ _lover, and in his mind, that trumped friendship.

~.~.~.~.

A/N: I'm hoping to post these chapters in two week intervals, but with final papers and tests, as well as graduation, I'm not sure how well I'll hold to that timeline. Hope you enjoyed.

Reviews:

I would like to thank Kyuubiluver, Inyoface, Jupiter13, TearfullPixie, Sasu-Sama' Sarukiji-Sempai, kckupid, and animephoenix14 for your reviews. They make me smile.

I would also like to thank those who put me on the story alert and added me to your favorite stories. I hope I continue to enthrall you.

Individual replies:

Kckupid – Thank you! I'm ecstatic that you like my work, and you reviewed both of my stories on this site! I will into posting Wedding Bells as well.

Jupiter 13 – I'm speechless. I've read your story Dragon's Kiss and loved it to bits and pieces. I hope I can continue to keep your interest.

Inyoface – Thank you for your review! Yes the twin thing is a new idea, but there's more surprises and twists in store. Check back next chapter for Mokuba – the pre-teen will make his grand appearance.

Kyuubiluver – There is a glimpse of Jackal's nature in this chapter, but all will be revealed in good time. Though I will give a hint, Jackal can be both a name and a meaning.


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